Latch lock



G. H. REIMER July 12, 1932.

LATCH LOCK Original Filed Nov. 8, 1928 Geo ga ifiamev showing Patented July 12, 1932 UNITED STATES ipime pme OF FULTON, ILLINOIS,=-;. A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS Ler e:

This invention relates to latch mechanism having key-operated instrumentalities, and having also a handle by which to open and s close the door, or other closure, to which.

the mechanism is applied.

Generally stated, the object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved construction whereby the reciprocating "latch member, having a beveledstrikeportion, is

fo providedwith a handle by which it can be reciprocated to unl'atchth'e door, or other closure, and having a key-operated lock mechanism for locking the latch member in m locked position, operative, when in unlocked 1'5 condition, to permit free movement of said latch member by means of said handle.-

' It is also an object to provide certain details and features of construction andcom binations tending to increase thegeneral "2o eflicienc'y and desirability of a lock-controlled latch mechanism of this particular character. 1 V

To the foregoing and other. useful ends,

the invention consists in matters'hereinafter 23 set forth and claimed and shown in the accompanying drawing, in which- 1 j' i Figure 1 is a frontelevationjof a mail box provided with a door having a -latch lock mechanism involving principles of the in- 30 vention;

lock mechanism;

Figure 3 is a horizontalsectiom on' a larger V anism, with a portion of the casing thereof removed, and showing. certain portions broken away, for convenience of illustration,

the lock mechanism in unlocked scale, online-3, 3fin Figurehl;

to position;

Figureb is a similar View showing the lock mechanism in locked position,

Figure 6 is'avertical section online 6, 6 in Figure 3, showing the key inserted;

Figure 7 is a detail viewof oneofthe parts of said mechanism. As thus illustrated, the invention is shown applied to the door 1 of an ordinarymail box 2 of any suitable or-desiredcharacter.

I 5 It will be understood, however, that the in- Figure 4; is a detail faceview offsai'd mech- Application filed November 8, 1928;.sera1j o. erases. nenewea iramh 23, 1932.

vention canbe usedona door or closure of any suitable character,.or for any desired purpose.

: GEORGE H. REIMER, or FULTON, ILLINOIS, AssIenoa 'ro rA'rENrnovnLtrY ooMrANY, V

sorted through slots in the plate and riveted over in any. suitable or desired manner. lVithin said :housing,'there is a rotary disklike member 6 provided with a slot or key-hole 7 therein, and provided alsov with diametrically opposite peripheral notches 8 and 9 for. engaging a spring 10,.secured in position, as shown in Figures l-and 5 'of the drawing.

The front plate 3 has a key-hole slot 11 havf ing its center portion 12 enlarged to form, in effectyan annular opening in which the reduced portion 13 of the key 14 can rotate, while the reduced end portion 15 of said key is adapted'to rotate ini'the'round hole. 16 formedin the back. of the box-like housing 4 of the casing; When the keyis fully inserted, it will be seen that its'wing portions-17 are in the slot 7, previously mentione'cLwhereby rotation of the key will cause rotation of the member 6 in the desired man- .ner. A key-hole guard18is mounted to rotate in the opening '19 formed in the front Y 1 wall 20 of the door 1, and is provided with Figure 2 is aperspective of the said latch a straight'key hole slot 21 for the insertion the housing 4 of the casing. Aspring 25 normally and yieldingly holds the latch mem ber22 in the position shown in the. drawing,

but is adapted toyield when the latch memher is forcibly moved to theright, as by grasp ing the'handle 26, which is rigid with said latch the door.

meansof said handle 26',and by moving the of the key, and this guard 18 rotateswith strike portion 23, when it is'desired' tofun member 22 to the right. However, when the parts are in-the position shown in Figure 5, it will be seen that unlatching the door is not possible, as at such time the pin 27 on the disk 16 is in engagement with the angular- The latch mechanism can be secured to the inside of the door 1 in any suitable or desired manner, as by the use of the rivets inserted through the holes 29 in the plate 3 and through the door itself.

. WVith theforegoing construction, which is illustrative of one form of the invention, it will be seen that the latch member and its strike portion 23 are freely movable into unlocked position, by means of the handle 26, when the lock mechanism is in unlocked condition] In such condition, the key 14 is not necessary for the opening'and closing of the door. However,'to prevent opening'of the door,it is only necessary to insert the key and rotate the member or disk 16 one hundred and eighty degrees tothe position shown in Figure 5 of the drawing, and in such condition the latch mechanism cannot be operated to unlatch the door. In this position the key may be withdrawn through the key hole. Thus, to unlatch the door, both the key 14 and the handle 26 are necessary,as the key is only operative to operate the lock mechanism, and it is not operative to shift the latch member. By having the key and lock mechanism rotate one hundred and eighty degrees,thekey is withdrawable without rotation in either the locked or unlocked position of said mechanism,

It will be seen that the latch plate member comprising the portions 22 and 23 is substantially U-shaped in form, being turned on its side to slide back and forth on its lower edge, so thatit reciprocates in the plane thereof. The member 6 is disposed immediately back of the latch plate member, with means thereon to engage the latch platemember, thereby to' control the latter in the manner shown and described. I What I claim as my invention is: 1. In latch-lock mechanism for a swinging door, the combination of a reciprocating latch member, a handle for operating said latch member into unlatched'position,reciprocating therewith, a spring for operating said member into latched position, stationary strike means for engaging said latch member rees into lockin osition or backward into b 7 unlo'ckin position, to permit withdrawal of the key 1n either of said positions through said key hole, said'lock mechanism comprising a rotatable member having diametrically opposite peripheral notches, a spring for engagement alternately with said notches, said rotatable member having a key-hole slot to receive the key, and having also a projection disposed in position to prevent displacement of said latch member when one of said notches is engaged by said last-mentioned spring, and which projection is disposed in position to prevent interference with free displacement the other notch of said latch member when is engaged. a

2. In latch-lock mechanism for a swinging door, the combination of a reciprocating latch member, a handle for operating said latch member into unlatched position, recip;

rocating therewith, a spring for operating said member into latched position, stationary strike means for engaging said latch member when the dooris closed, operative when the door is being closed to shift said member and handle into unlatched position, rotary lock mechanism operable by a removable key for locking said member in latched position, operable into unlocking position while said member remains in latched position, said lock mechanism comprising a rotatable member having diametricallyopposite peripheral notches, a spring for engagement alternately with said notches, said rotatable member having a keyhole slot to receive the key, and having also a projection disposed in position to prevent displacement of said latch member when one of said notches is engagedby said last-mentioned spring, and which projection is disposed in position to prevent interference with free displacement of said latch member when the other notch is engaged. I V

3. In lock mechanism, the combination of a casing, a reciprocating latch plate member disposed in position within the casing, adapted to reciprocate in the plane thereof, within said. casing, having a manually operable outer engaging portion, a flat control plate disposed flatwise against the back of said latch plate member,'withinsaid casing, and controlling means onone plate extending into the plane of} the other plate, said control plate being adapted to be operated by akey to control tion having a handle for the reciprocation of said latch plate member in the plane thereof. i

5. A structure as specified in claim 3, including a spring engaging said control plate, said casing having a key hole through which said key may be inserted through the gap of said U-shaped plate, into engagement with said control plate, and the back of said casing having a round hole to engage the end of said key. 7 I

6. A structure as specified in claim 3, said latch plate member being substantially U- shaped, being turned on its side to slide on one lower edge thereof, whereby the two plates operate close together in parallel planes, one behind the other, and spring means engaging and controlling said plates, said latch plate member having portions serving as stops to limit theo-peration thereof, and said control plate having stop means thereon to limit its operation. 7

7 In lock mechanism, the combination of a casing, a reciprocating latch platemember disposed in position within the casing, adapt sprin enga 'n said control plate, said casing 'h aving' a k ey hole through which said key may be inserted through the gap of said U-shaped plate, into engagement with said control plate, and the back of said casing having a round hole to engage the end of said key. 1

Specification signed this fifth day of November, 1928. i v

' H. REIMER'.

ed to reciprocate in the plane thereof, within said casing, having an engaging portion, a flat control plate disposed flatwise against theback of said latch plate member, within said casing, and means on, said control plate for engaging and controlling said latch plate member, said control plate being adapted to be operated by a key to control said latch plate member and thereby lock and unlock the latch plate member, the casing wall back of said control plate having a round hole to pivot the end of said key, said latch plate member being substantially U-shaped, being turned on its side to slide on one lower edge thereof, said engaging portion having a handle for the reciprocation of said latch platemember in the plane thereof. V

8. In lock mechanism, the combination of a casing, a reciprocatinglatch plate member disposed in position within the casing, adapted to reciprocate in the plane thereof, within said casing, having an engaging portion, 1

a flat control plate disposed" fiatwise against the back of said latch plate member, within said casing, and means onsaid control plate 7 for engaging and controlling said latch plate member, said control plate being adapted to j be operated by a key to" control said latch plate member and thereby lock and'unlock the latch plate member, the casing wall back of said control plate having around hole to pivot the end of said ,key, including a 

